Individual tumbler holder and rack embodying the same



INDIVIDUAL TUMBLER HOLDER AND RACK EMBODYING THE SAME 2 shets-sneet 1` 4 Filed Aug. 30, 1939 n Y' INVENTOR; @ddp/D Ufff@ -zf s ATTORNEYS.

DCC 23, 1941- A A. J. HAvLls 2,267,522

INDIVIDUAL TUMBLER HOLDER AND RACK EMBODYING THE SAME Filed Aug. so, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheena BY man im uu ATTORNEYS. `/5

Patented Dec. 23, 1941 INDIVIDUAL TUMBLER HOLDER ANDURACK EMBODYING THE SAME VAdolph J. llavlis,` Oak Park,` Ill., assign'or, by mesne assignments, to Adolph J. Havlis, Frank Havlis, Albert F. llavlis, Albina Zderad, and Stanley P. Dyba, copartners doing business as Keystone Metal lProducts Company, alimited partnership Application August 30, 1939, serial No. 292,5ss `2y Claims. (C1. 2,11-74) This invention relates to tumbler `racks and similar articles and has to do particularly with improvements in the construction of wire tumbler racks. v

One of the main objects of `the invention is to ,provide an improved individual wire tumbler or glassholder of such form that when applied to any suitablebase it will provide complete individual retention for the tumbler or glass `without securing additional members to the front of the holder for closing the same against displacement of the tumbler therefrom and without the use `of dividers, spacers or the like common to a plurality'of tumblers or glasses.

Anotherobject of the invention is` to provide an improved tumbler rack having tumbler or `glass holders of the character above set forth for individually holding the glasses or tumblers in separated and individual relation; also against undue relative movement and impact with each other such as occurs where dividers or spacers are employed to form tumblerreceiving compartments.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an individual wire tumbler `or glass holder and a tumbler rack embodying such holders, which holders and the rack comprising the saine are of simple and inexpensive construction and of pleasing appearance; also an individual wire tumbler or glass holder formed of a single `generally U-shaped wire and a rackembodying such holderswhich is composed of relatively few parts adapted to lbe conveniently assembled `and brought to form.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method of making the individual tumbler holders and rack of the character de` scribed.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a top plan View of a tumbler rack embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side View of the raclrshown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan View showing, in the flat, Athe supporting `rings constituting the base of the particular rack selected for illustration and the individual tumbler or glass holders as applied thereto;

Figure 4 isa view showing, in the flat, one oi the individual tumbler or glass holders;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary `perspective view showing one of the individual tumbler or glass holders applied to a suitable base and after bringing the tumbler or glass holder to form;

Figure 6 is a view showing, in the flat, another form of tumbler or glass holder embodying the present invention;

Figure 7 is a front View of theindividualtumbler or glass holder shown in Figure 6, showing the same applied to a suitable base and after being brought to form; and

Figure 8 is a side view showing a slightly modified form of holder `embodying the present invention.

Referring now in detail to the -drawings, the particular rack selected for illustration comprises a base consisting of two concentric wire rings I0 and I I. The base which determines the shape of the rack is shown of .round or circular form, but it is to be understood that it may be of square, rectangularoctagonal, or of `any other suitable or preferred form.

It is to be further understood that the base` may be of stepped `construction to support the tumblers or glasses at different elevations, somewhat along the line shown in my design Patent No. D-1l4,387, issued April 18, 1939, and that a wide range of other modifications are contemplated within the scope of the present invention. `The individual tumbler or glass holders I2 are formed of wire of `suitable gauge and, in the flat, are of generally `U-shaped form, with the sides or legs of the U Vcontracted or pressedl or drawn inwardly toward each other at I4 for an important purpose which will presently appear. The connecting portions kbetween the legs of the U-shaped members are rounded as shown at I5, but this may vary within the scope of the invention.

Where the base is of the character shown in the drawings,` the ends I6 and Il of the wire base rings are preferably not welded or otherwise secured together but are merely brought into abutting're'lation, being held together by the tumbler or glass holders I2, although this, too, may vary. In forming the rack the wire base rings Ill and II are placed, for example, in a jig in the desired concentric relation. The jig is preferably grooved or formed to receive and hold rthe rings IU and II in the desired relation, and Ais also preferably grooved or formed to receive and hold, in the iiat, the generally U,shaped` tumbler holders I2, with the free ends I8 of the Alegs thereof extending across and disposed on the rings I Il and II as shown in Figure 3. Then, with all of the holders I2 in position upon the base rings Il] and II as shown in Figure 3, the free ends I8 of the legs ofthe holders I2 are welded to thewire rings Hi and II at 20. The welding of all of the holders to the base ofthe rack at the points 2E] is preferably accomplished by a single welding operation. By welding the ends I8 of one tumbler holder` I2 to opposite sides of each joint It and I'I, the `ends of the rings I0 and I'I are held together without welding the same.

The glass holders I2 are thenyrolled over a suitable fixture, die, or jig to bring the outer rounded ends I5 into position above and as shown in Figures 2 and 5 into position substantially parallel to the ends I8 and to the plane of the rings I and II, and to give the intermediate contracted sides I4 of the holders an outwardly rolled and generally rounded form as shown. The outer rounded ends I are not only brought into position substantially parallel to the ends I3 of the holders and to the plane of the rings I0 and II, but are positioned over the base rings I 0 and II substantially as shown in plan in Figure 1.

If desired, the rolled formation of the intermediate sides I4 of the holders may be continued along the rounded ends I5 instead of having the ends of generally flat or planar form as shown in Figure 5. This is indicated in side elevation at I 5 in Figure 8, the other portions of .this holder being indicated by primed reference characters similar to the reference characters applied to Figures 1 through 5.

The rolling of the intermediate portions of the individual holders I2 not only positions the looped glass receiving ends I5 so that the glasses may be placed therein with their lower ends on the base of the rack as indicated in dotted lines at 3U in Figures 2 and 5, but the contracted sides I4 when thus brought to form provide complete individual retention for the glass without securing additional members to the front of the holder to close the same against displacement of the glass from the holder and without the use of dividers, spacers, or the like common to a plurality of tumblers or glasses. This is an important aspect of the present invention.

Moreover, the individual tumbler holders of the type described are adapted to a wide variety of rack structures and permit a wide range of changes in the design and construction of the other parts of the rack. Where dividers or spacers are employed to form tumbler or glass receiving compartments, th'e same range of variation in the design and construction of the rack has not been possible. The individual holders I2 each consisting of a single piece of wire, the cost is reduced and assembly is simplied. With the contracted sides I4, the desired retention is formed by the rolling operation which brings the looped end I5 and the ends I8 to the desired positions. Instead of a rolling operation on the intermediate portions of the holders I2 as described, these holders may be brought to form in any other suitable or desired manner, and what are described as the rolled intermediate and retention forming portions of the holders I2, instead of being rounded as shown, may be of any other desired shape.

In use, each holder I2 individually supports a glass or tumbler as indicated at 30. The glasses 3l) are thus held in separated and individual relation; also against undue relative movement and against impact with each other. The holders I2 are preferably formed of hard wire with enough temper-that is, with enough springiness-iirmly to support the glasses and the sides of the holders I2 are adapted to be spread or contracted properly to conform to the glasses or tumblers so that they will be held against undue movement in the holders.

Where the rack is square, rectangular, Octagonal, or of other polygonal form, the glass holdout laterally at 4I.

ers I2 may be arranged along and secured to the sides of the base, and in the case, for instance, of an oval or other form of rack, the holders may be appropriately arranged about and secured to the base thereof.

The construction and design of the handle for the rack may vary widely within the scope of the present invention. The particular handle selected for illustration is a wire handle 40 having a generally looped handle part disposed above vthe axis of the rack, and the diverging lower ends of the intersecting portions of the handle extend The outer ends of these laterally extending portions 4I are turned to lie parallel to the base of the rack in position across the bottoms of the base rings I0 and II, and are welded to the wire base rings I0 and II at 42.

The individual tumbler holder I2a shown in Figures 6 and 7 is similar to the holders I2 of the previous embodiment of the invention except that instead of having the sides or legs of the U contracted, these sides are arranged in intersecting relation-that is, with one crossing the other at I4a. This crossing or intersection of the legs of th'e U providesthe desired retention for preventing displacement of the glass when the holder is rolled or otherwise brought to form. The free ends of the U-shaped holder I2a are indicated at I8a in Figure 7 and are welded to the base rings indicated at Ia in the manner of the previous embodiment of the invention.

I do not intend to be limited to the precise details shown or described.

I claim:

1. A tumbler rack comprising a base, a plurality of individual wire tumbler holders of generally U-shaped form with the free ends of the legs of the U-shaped holders disposed generally horizontally across said base and welded thereto, the bights at the upper ends of said U-shaped holders being formed to positions substantially parallel to said base and substantially parallel to the free ends of the legs of said holders and spaced upwardly above the base to receive tumblers, and the portions of said holders intermediate said bights and the generally horizontally disposed free ends of the legs of the holders being bowed inwardly to form contracted portions intermediate said bights and the base of the rack for holding the tumblers against sidewise displacement from said holders.

2. A tumbler rack comprising'a base, a plurality of individual wire tumbler holders of generally U-shaped form with the free ends of the legs of the U-shaped holders disposed generally horizontally across said base and welded thereto, the bights at the upper ends of said U-shaped holders being formed to positions substantially parallel to said base and substantially parallel to the free ends of the legs of said holders and spaced upwardly above the base to receive tumblers, and the portions of said holders intermediate said bights and the generally horizontally disposed free lends of the legs of the holders being of continuous inwardly bowed curvature from the outer ends of the generally horizontally disposed free ends of said legs to the bights at the upper ends of th'e holders to form contracted portions intermediate said bights and the base of the rack for holding the tumblers against sidewise displacement from said holders.

ADOLPH J. HAVLIS. 

